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Paul Ryan: On the path to job he says he never wanted

In this Nov. 6, 2012, file photo, then-Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and his vice presidential running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., make an unscheduled stop at a Wendy's restaurant in Richmond Heights, Ohio. Ryan has spent his entire life preparing for a job he says he never wanted. Ryan worked as a congressional intern in college, returning later to work as a paid staffer on Capitol Hill. By 28, he was a member of the House. By his early 40s, he was the chairman of the House Budget Committee and then the powerful tax-writing Ways and Means Committee. In 2012, he was a vice presidential candidate and a talked-about future presidential contender. This week, Ryan is set to become Speaker of the House, second in line to the presidency (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File) In this Nov. 6, 2012, file photo, then-Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and his vice presidential running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., make an unscheduled stop at a Wendy's restaurant in Richmond Heights, Ohio. Ryan has spent his entire life preparing for a job he says he never wanted. Ryan worked as a congressional intern in college, returning later to work as a paid staffer on Capitol Hill. By 28, he was a member of the House. By his early 40s, he was the chairman of the House Budget Committee and then the powerful tax-writing Ways and Means Committee. In 2012, he was a vice presidential candidate and a talked-about future presidential contender. This week, Ryan is set to become Speaker of the House, second in line to the presidency (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)

By Associated Press October 28, 2015 1 min read

WASHINGTON (AP) – Rep. Paul Ryan has spent his entire life preparing for a job he says he never wanted.

Ryan worked as a congressional intern in college, returning later to work as a paid staffer on Capitol Hill. By age 28, he was a member of the House. By his early 40s, he was the chairman of the House Budget Committee and then the powerful tax-writing Ways and Means Committee. He was a vice presidential candidate in 2012 and a talked-about future presidential contender.

This week, he is set to become House Speaker.

He’s popular among his colleagues, known for his workouts in the House gym and his intense, wonky enthusiasm for fiscal policy. He’s also seen by some as a bridge between the embattled GOP establishment and hardline conservatives.